Fissure had been kept busy over the past days, gathering what he needed to make this place as lavish and envy-inducing as possible. No wall was left bare of something.. be it a collection of beautiful driftwood and seashells, an array of dried flowers, colorful bird feathers, or even just splashes of dye splattered across the wall and dubbed as thought-provoking art.

Outside of decorating, there was still the task of gathering as well. Firewood, fruit, meat, mushrooms.. even a few of the plants he actually knew of that could be used medicinally.

Needless to say, he had little time for anything else, though he made time to collect a small amount of food to leave outside of @Evanthe's den each morning. Usually, this little collection consisted of a good portion of meat along with some more curious items she might sample. Some of these things would include sweet fruits, maybe some mushrooms that were safe to eat.. an egg.. even a bit of combed honey on one occasion. Outside of leaving her food, he mostly gave her space to do as she pleased. Once she was adjusted, he hoped she might show more interest in the many activities of a Crow.

She might notice him engaged in such an activity when she came from her chambers. He was kept busy preparing a new batch of wine. It was a lot of work, the sort that required to get his paws dirty.. in the literal sense. He would be near the food cache, almost aggressively squeezing the life out of fruit that was laid inside a large hollowed turtle shell with his front paws.

code: saph || art: moogle

Life had been… strange… lately. Very different than she’d expected life with a mercenary band would be. It certainly was different than her life back under her father’s rule. They might not have been a proper pride - merely a family trying to eke out a life together, but her father had been demanding of her from a young age. Since she’d been old enough to care for herself she’d also been expected to serve others.

The first time she’s found food dropped at her doorstep she’d assumed he’d taken pity in her. She’s been half starved and three-fourths frozen when she’d fallen asleep by his fire. She barely remembered waking up and practically dragging herself into the nearest open den she could find. The following times though? She’d met them with a suspicious skepticism. He’d asked for a month in which to court her, to win her over and make the proposed marriage something she wanted out of desire not just obligation. She didn’t know what she’d expected by the agreement but it certainly wasn’t this outpouring of gifts.

And for her part the girl had been creeping farther and farther from home each passing day. Always with the intention of returning of course, she wasn’t about to abandon her duty, but the small degree of freedom she found herself stealing was, well, quite honestly wonderful.

She had accepted that mornings offerings and tidied up after them before making herself presentable and dawning a makeshift satchel she’d fashioned out of a pelt. It was rather shoddy in design, surely someone more skilled than herself could have done a far better job, but already after just a day or two of use it smelled of herbs and flora scents. She had just begun to slip off towards the cave entrance when she caught sight of him and froze. This was the first time she’d actually seen the man since she’d been there and although awkwardness made her want to shy away duty urged her to approach him. To thank him for providing for her while she got her paws under her. For what it was worth he seemed to actually be making an attempt to honor their agreement, it was time she honored it herself.

With a posture much more confident than the fluttering in her stomach she began to approach him, tilting her head at his- unusual- activity. “Good morning Mr. @Fissure. I assume I have you to thank for breakfast these past few days?” she questioned, approaching further to examine the fruit he was stepping on. “I hope I haven’t interrupted… something?” she questioned.

code: saph || art: moogle

Fissure had taken some interest in the lioness's day-to-day activities, and while he didn't outright stalk her, he would catch the occasional glimpse of what she brought back with her. Her healing satchel in particular had garnered interest, and while he would have loved to have an excuse to show off his craftsmanship, it would have been wrong of him to intervene. It was more interesting seeing her methods, along with the amount of time and effort put into such an important bag.

He would not speak when she appeared behind him, not wishing to make her feel pressured to approach. He would have gladly pretended he hadn't even noticed her leaving the cave that morning if it put her at ease.

When she did approach, he would turn to greet her with enthusiasm and warmth. If he greeted her as if she were a comrade instead of a stranger, she might find it easier to interact with him. "Ah, lady @Evanthe! I am pleased to hear you enjoy what I have on offer. I rather appreciate any feedback on what you might like and dislike. Exploring new flavors and gauging reactions to them further helps me in my crafts." He explained, making it sound as though she was doing him a favor by eating it.

He would withdraw his paws from the project, rinsing the deep red liquid off at the little spring before turning attention back to her. "I was just beginning work on some new wine. Have you ever tried making some before? Perhaps we could have some lessons in the timeless craft, should you desire. Wine is very common among the crows." He offered. Not the most romantic date, or the cleanest one, but one carefully disguised as something easy.

code: saph || art: moogle

Evanthe wasn’t completely daft. She heard the subtle questions under his words and the way he gently probed her for feedback. Was he really trying to get to know her? Giving weight to her own opinions and desires? It was a strange feeling being asked how she’d liked a gift given to her. Heck, it was stranger still to have been given a gift in the first place. She’d offer him a smile, small and a bit timid, but a smile nonetheless. “The honey was particularly lovely, though I hope you didn’t suffer from any angry bees on my behalf.” she knew the stick of a bee’s stinger all too well, and the fate they suffered because it.

She watched with interest as he spoke of winemaking. Curiosity caused her to risk a step forward to peer closer into the turtleshell bowl he had been using. “My father used to drink wine from time to time, when he had someone important enough to impress.” she looked from the squished bowl of fruit back to @Fissure. “I’ve never had it myself. Is it just all this fruit squished up?” she questioned, winemaking seemed as good of a topic to take interest in as any. The fact that it used fruit made it all the more intriguing. “Could you use it medicinally?” she wondered out loud.

code: saph || art: moogle

Fissure would listen in silence, taking this moment to get his first good look at the lioness now that she wasn't worn down and rain-sodden. He would do his best not to make it obvious, though he lingered for a moment longer on her face and the delicate blue coloration of her nose. He was as an artist marveling at another painter's craft. pallid shades of blue suited her, something to keep in mind for later.

"I would not risk the sting of a hive of angry bees. I have a wordless arrangement with a honey badger. I give him a large bounty in exchange for just a bit of his honeycomb. They are.. perhaps the most terrifying creature I have yet to encounter, I do not question how fair the trade is." He admitted with a chuckle. Honey was a precious resource, one often saved for his most treasured wine, the sort reserved for special occasions.

Her interest in the wine would result in him shifting to one side, motioning towards it encouragingly. "That is true, for the most part. Would you like to give making some a try? I have an extra shell here. You can find the old fruits ready within the food cache. Now that you have tried various ones, I am curious which are your favorites. Why not choose a couple?" He asked, his expression thoughtful and attentive.

@Evanthe

code: saph || art: moogle

She didn’t notice his eyes lingering over her as they spoke, but more than as one might politely look at someone when they spoke at least. Something in her subconscious stirred though, making her all too aware of her own nose and causing her to lift a paw to rub the side of her face casually, as if she might have a spot of something to free herself of. Her brown and blue eyes widened with a moment of both shock and awe as he spoke of brokering deals with a honey badger of all creatures. “Oh my! How did you ever come into the company of a honey badger in the first place?” it felt like there would be a story there.

At the offer to learn to make her own wine she wasted no time in nodding. Perhaps if she learned to make it should could be of more assistance in keeping their home better supplied. “Sure, I’d love to learn. What fruits would you recommend?” she asked, trusting someone with more experience with the drink than her own unrefined palate. Also what did he mean by old fruit? “I’m not sure what that pink fruit with all the juice you left me was, but it was quite delightful.” she admitted. While she knew a thing or two of medicinal plants, fruits were foreign to her.

@Fissure

code: saph || art: moogle

His tale of bartering with a honey badger seemed to interest. He would chuckle at this, finding her intrigue rather adorable. "It was difficult the first couple of times, but we wordlessly made our intentions clear." He said, recalling the encounters and the frequent shows of aggression anytime he dare take more than the creature thought him worthy of. He would refrain from speaking of how he ran from the smaller animal a few times despite their size difference. He would rather keep everyone believing him as a skilled and fearless warrior.

@Evanthe would speak of the fruit she had enjoyed while also being open to suggestion. He would nod, moving off to collect the pink fruits she spoke of, along with the keystone of any good wine.. grapes. Removing stems with quick and practiced precision, he would place all of them in the shell. "I cannot speak to the healing properties of wine, but it could possibly be useful in calming nerves and numbing some pain. It leaves one feeling relaxed and can embolden one with greater confidence." He explained.

He would move aside, looking at her encouragingly. "Use your paw, press down on the fruit with some force." He instructed, curious to how she might react to the sensation grapes crushed beneath her paw. Such a refined lady might find it appalling at first, or at least strange. "It may stain your fur briefly, but such is the sacrifice one makes for such a delicacy." He added on in a teasing fashion. Lucky for him, it was hard to see dark stains on his fur.

code: saph || art: moogle

His exploration didn’t seem to answer her question of just how he came to know this honey badger let alone it’s interest in trade in the first place, but she let the question slip away without much more thought as he fetched the series of fruits and plethora of grapes they needed. She watched without speaking or interrupting his efforts. Instead she contacted herself with silently observing and diligently learning. Learning new skills, studying proper techniques, these were things she were used to. This almost felt normal despite how not normal any of this was.

Her eyes flared with surprise for a moment as he bid her to press the wine with her paws. “Oh! You’d like me to do it?” she asked, confirming before gently stepping towards the fruit filled shell. “Ok then.” she agreed. There was clear apprehension in her eyes as she slowly placed her paw against the fruit before firmly pressing down. The shell wobbled some, but the fruit itself felt cool and sticky under her toes. She couldn’t help but giggle slightly as she lifted her forepaw before pressing it down again. “It’s a strange sensation isn’t it Mr. @Fissure?” she commented before beginning to quicken her fruit squishing.

code: saph || art: moogle

To his surprise, the small lioness seemed to be enjoying herself as she pressed down on the fruits within the bowl. He would only offer a gentle smile as he watched her work, noting her method for doing so. She would need some further instruction on how best to get the most out of it. Her pace was too fast, the way she put pressure on them too rigid.

"Easy does it my dear lady. You are going to wear yourself out at that pace." He chuckled. Without much thought he was standing beside her, a single paw reaching in, attempting to place it over her own paw, to still it and try to guide her properly. Provided she didn't shrink away from the touch, he would show her the pressure she needed to use, as well as bring a slight twisting motion to her paw. Slow and steady.. good pressure.

His expression was soft and encouraging, hopeful @Evanthe would find herself comfortable in close proximity to him, in the most innocent of touches. If they could cross this milestone, it would be easier for both of them to form an attachment.. perhaps even come to welcome such closeness instead of being as two ships passing in the night.

code: saph || art: moogle

She listened as he told her she was moving too fast, sheepishly smiling at him as she slowed down drastically in her movements. She was letting youthful excitement get the best of her. She needed to contain herself, be poised and proper and-

OH MY GODS HE WAS TOUCHING HER!

The girl’s heart pounded in her chest as she could suddenly feel him close to her. She was sure he could hear it and was just being too polite to comment. She stiffened as he placed a paw over hers but she did not pull it away. She’d been taught from a young age that one day she’d be his. @Fissure had just been a vague idea in her youth though, an abstract future. Now that she was actually there through, close enough to feel his dark fur brushing against her. It was all too real.

She took a deep breath and attempted to relax her paw under his. He was just teaching her how to make wine after all. If anything it was a blessing giving her something to do with her paws besides roam random mountainsides all day getting lost looking for plants. It’s all rather silly isn’t it? she commented, trying to make herself sound relaxed by focusing on conversation, Wine is a delicacy - and yet it’s all had someone’s toes in it at one point. her father had always saved his best for important guests, and now she realized they were all drinking a little bit of someone’s toes with every sip.

code: saph || art: moogle